The Mercedes-Benz G-class will receive a complete overhaul with extensive changes for its 2017 sale year.

The facelift to the 35-year-old model will be so major that Mercedes says it will, in effect, be a new car.

The big push is to increase the car’s width for greater stability, to accommodate new front suspension and to liberate greater interior space for new, broader seats front and rear, while maintaining the character and iconic look of the current model.

“We have to be careful with our heritage,” says Mercedes SUV boss, Andreas Zygan. “We offer something really special. Last year – the 34th – was the best ever for G-class sales. It’s amazing, and one of our idols.”The codename for the G-class remains W463, but the structure is being extensively reworked. More aluminium is being added and it is being made around 100mm wider, taking the width of the car to around 1860mm.

The change to the structure is also being made with a view to slashing the kerb weight; a reduction of more than 200kg is being touted by insiders. The current G350 weighs in at a hefty 2570kg.The G-class’s new front suspension will use a three or four-link set-up, while a more modern electro-mechanical steering system is also being fitted.

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